Rec Sports

Coach Chris Conlin challenged, inspired his players –

Published

7 months ago

May 27, 2025

Eli Stokols attended the Celebration of Life for former coach Chris Conlin. (PHOTO: Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone).

Former University High School baseball standout Eli Stokols, who now covers the White House for Politico, has fond memories being coached by Chris Conlin, the long-time University High School coach who was honored during a celebration of life earlier this month.

There were plenty of life lessons, he said.

Conlin died on April 15, 2025 at the age of 71 after an illness surrounded by family friends.

“I was watching and listening to people and what Coach (Mike) Gerakos said about him with the red brick dust all over his feet I was thinking about this image of him on the field before practice, after practice, raking the dirt, watering the infield and the amount of time and care he put into just creating a place, a field, a program for not just me but for all these years and years and years of kids to come through and have a place to really grow but also to have just have fun,” Stokols said in an interview after the celebration at Friends Church in Yorba Linda.

“Being part of the Uni baseball program was the most important thing I did in high school, it’s the thing I remember the clearest, the friends I made and continue to be in touch with. It’s just a really special part of my life and my memories of growing up here and it was important to me. Coach, as people talked about, he was a pretty direct guy.

“As encouraging as he was he wouldn’t sugar coat things, so he was a big muscly guy and I came in at 14 years old and I was pretty spindly. I think he had a hard time seeing, ‘how is this guy going to develop and be anything in our program.’ I wasn’t the most athletic or the fastest and certainly not the biggest. And he would kind of let you know that you had a ways to go. And he was intimidating, especially coming in as a 14-year-old. He let you know, nothing was given and you had to earn it.

“It was really my first experience with that kind of situation and competition and being part of a program and having to work your way up to something. I can still remember some of our games our senior year in 1997, I can remember some of my better moments as a player and I can describe them to you very clearly. I think about the confidence I played with my senior year there and the way that team came together.

“You sort of appreciate it at the time but to go from a lot of self doubt and not being as good of a player but to being a better player and a more confident player on the field and being part of a group and all that confidence that I had on the field was because of the stuff that he and Coach (Paul) Serna and Coach Gerakos put me through and the challenge they laid down to you.

“High school baseball is sort of a singular experience but it does help you going forward whatever you do. To have someone who believed in you, but made you earn it, didn’t give you anything and let you know you were going to do it yourself and taught you how to be part of a team and a group, and we were really close.

“And it was also just fun. I think about all his little sayings and the ways he would kind of rib us. They had a good rapport and it was a really good environment and a good group and you feel all these years later lucky to be have been part of it.”

Celebrated league title

Stokols, who played two years with the varsity at University, remembers the 1997 season when the Trojans won the league title on the last day of the season.

“We all put a lot into it,” he said. “We won the league and we won our first CIF (playoff) game and then we had to play Mater Dei and we lost by one. I think Garrrett (Atkins) hit a ball that was caught on the warning track for the last out. I was on deck. It was sad when it ended, ends are tough, that was a really special group.”

Stokols then attended UC Berkley where he continued his baseball career and got his college education. He’s also a Columbia University School of Journalism graduate.

“I think maybe my confidence as a player going into a program that I really didn’t have any business playing in, a D-1 Pac-10 program as it was then, came from playing with Garrett and playing with this group and having a lot of success and being, ‘why not.’ I got to Cal and I thought these guys are really good, it was hard but I stuck with it and ending up traveling and pitching a little bit my senior year and earning a collegiate letter and I had times throughout college thought, ‘I don’t need to put the hours in, I don’t need to be a part of this program, it’s not my identity, I will go do something else,’” Stokols said.

“I stuck with it, in part because I had a lot of good friends in the program, as I did in high school, but I also probably stuck with it because of the experience I had in high school. You’re just building on the foundation you had already laid down, having people who push you and challenge you and support you.

“I got a (letterman) jacket that doesn’t fit me but it’s a nice symbol of my persistence in doing something that I probably had no business doing. I knew I wasn’t going to wind up in the Major Leagues but I’m glad I did it.”

Covered Little League

Besides baseball, Stokols also had an interest in journalism working during the summer for the Irvine World News and its sister paper in Mission Viejo at the age of 15. Stokols’ biggest story was covering South Mission Viejo Little League major all-stars, which wound up going to Williamsport for the Little League World Series.

“I do remember how much fun that summer was, taking the ride with those families all the way to the regional final in San Bernardino and being sad I had to go off to start college and couldn’t go with them to Williamsport,” he said.

“I can still remember a lot of the players from that team and the coach, Jim Gattis, was a lot of fun to get to know and talk to. When I told him I was going up to Cal to play baseball that fall, he invited me out to a team practice and tried to show me a few grips to play with to develop a cutter. Great baseball guy.

“That team was the first story I ever got latched onto that was a running story, not a one-off piece. And I got fairly wrapped up in it. Maybe that’s a no-no in journalism even when you’re covering a Little League team. But being only a few years removed from my own Little League days, which I shared with my own dad, it felt very personal watching these kids and families have so much success and joy on this journey together.

“I remember being so impressed by their abilities at such a young age, by Gattis who gave them so much baseball knowledge and helped them succeed while remembering that they were all just kids, by the connections between the families in the stands; and the way all of them were so welcoming to me. I don’t cover many ‘feel good’ stories these days, but I’ll always remember that one.”

White House reporter

Stokols path led him to work in Denver and then to Washington D.C where he has been covering politics for 10 years. He started at Politico, then the Wall Street Journal, the Los Angeles Times before returning to Politico about two and a half years ago. He’s also had guest television appearances on CNN and MSNBC.

Covering the White House and President Donald Trump has been demanding but fulfilling, he indicated.

“In some ways it’s easy because they make so much news you just try to catch up and there is always stuff to write about it but it’s challenging sussing out new information and finding out what’s going on as it is in any White House like that,” he said. “There’s a lot of people on the beat so it’s competitive. It feels like it’s important but it’s a grind. I would never say that I don’t appreciate the uniqueness of the opportunity to be in that building and to sit in the briefing room or to occasionally fly on Air Force One and to ask the president questions.

“But it’s a tough job and it’s a lot of work and there is a lot of competition. It is an intense beat. This president makes news at all hours of the day and sometimes you’re putting to kids to bed at 7:30 and your phone rings and your editor is on the line wanting to know why the hell you don’t have the story. You got to figure how to deal with that.

“I was lucky to come up with something when I was a teenager and sort of had a clear sense of what I wanted to do and to be able to go off and do it.”

Advice for others

Stokols also had advice for those wanting to enter the journalism field.

“Persistence, I guess. It’s not an easy time for the industry, people need journalism, they need to know what’s going on at the local level, I would say even more so than the national level, there are a lot of journalists in D.C. and New York talking about our federal government, he said. “There are not a lot of places who are still investigating local news and that’s hard.

“Don’t do it to get rich. But if you believe in it and you are good at it, we need people to come along who want to chase stories and find things out and shine a light on stuff and people who are good at that will always find that if you work hard, the information is still the commodity so the platforms are different and the business is different. But if you’re good at sussing out what is happening and telling a story, you will probably find somewhere to land and do that job.”

Stokols and his wife Elena have two boys Ryne, 2 (named after Stokols favorite players former Cub Ryne Sandberg) and Charlie, 4 and live in Washington, D.C.

“My parents are still in the same house I grew up in so a lot of ties there with them and their friends, trips are a little different now when you come out with two little ones, but they love running around going to the beach,” Stokols said.

Stokols acknowledged dealing with Coach Conlin’s death.

“This is obviously a sad occasion,” Stokols said. “You wish the circumstances were different but it’s been a while since I’ve seen a lot of these guys. Life takes you in different directions. It’s been nice the last day or so getting to catch up with guys you spend your entire high school years with, hour and hours at a time.”

—Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone; timburt@ocsportszone.com

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Rec Sports

A celebration of success | News, Sports, Jobs

Published

1 hour ago

December 23, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Photo courtesy Bay College
The Center for Youth Health & Wellness staff outside the new Center on the Escanaba campus in 2024.

ESCANABA – The Center for Youth Health and Wellness opened its doors on the Bay College Escanaba Campus in Fall 2024. The Center has quickly become a vital resource for students and local youth ages 10-21, providing accessible, high-quality medical and mental health services in a welcoming, youth-focused environment.

The Center has demonstrated strong community engagement and meaningful impact. Since opening in 2024, The Center has served 1,045 unduplicated clients. These individuals visited The Center for a wide range of health and wellness needs, including medical visits, mental health visits, and annual wellness exams.

“We are thrilled by the positive response and the number of young people who are choosing to access care right here on campus through The Center,” said Cindy Gallagher, Bay College Vice President of Workforce Innovation and Strategic Partnerships. “This partnership with Public Health Delta & Menominee Counties ensures that students and community youth have the support they need to thrive academically, personally, and socially.”

Since the start of the new fiscal year on October 1, 2025, The Center’s momentum has remained strong. In the first quarter alone, The Center has provided 99 medical visits and 147 mental health visits.

Since its opening, The Center has become a critical provider for the required high school sports physicals that allow youth to participate in high school sports. Kayla Coltson, Family Nurse Practitioner at The Center, shared that they have provided 755 sports physicals to area youth since August 2024.

These numbers reflect the continued and growing demand for accessible youth-focused health services in the region. The Center’s integrated approach–combining medical care, mental health support, prevention services, and wellness education–helps empower young people to make informed decisions and build healthier futures.

“It’s clear that this collaboration is filling a critical gap in our community,” said Michael Snyder, Health Officer at Public Health Delta & Menominee Counties. “We are committed to providing quality services, reducing barriers, and meeting the evolving needs of youth across Delta and Menominee counties.”

The Center for Youth Health and Wellness remains open to individuals ages 10-21, offering walk-in and scheduled appointments. Services include primary medical care, behavioral health counseling, vaccines, wellness visits, and health education–all provided in a confidential, inclusive, and supportive setting.

The Center employs four staff, including a receptionist, a licensed mental health counselor, a registered nurse, and a nurse practitioner. The Center also has an active Advisory Board consisting of representatives from local K-12 partners, Delta-Schoolcraft ISD, Public Health, Bay College, and local parents.

Funding for The Center is provided through a grant awarded to Public Health Delta & Menominee Counties from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, along with reimbursement from billing public and private insurance plans. No client between the ages of 10-21 will be denied care due to an inability to pay.

Bay College and Public Health Delta & Menominee Counties look forward to building on this strong foundation for years to come as we continue to serve the youth of our community.

For more information, visit the Center’s page at baycollege.edu, contact The Center for Youth Health and Wellness at 906-786-1672 or visit The Center’s Facebook page.

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Rec Sports

Advocacy Groups Warn Against Kalshi’s Gambling Push

Published

2 hours ago

December 23, 2025

Your Sports Nation

By Hayley Fowler ( December 22, 2025, 3:36 PM EST) — A trio of nonprofits that advocate against gambling are fighting betting company Kalshi’s efforts to curb Maryland gaming regulators’ oversight, telling the Fourth Circuit that health consequences and threats to elections and youth sports would be significant if Kalshi succeeds….

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Rec Sports

Letter: Sports complex at Pendleton would mean higher taxes

Published

2 hours ago

December 23, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Letter: Sports complex at Pendleton would mean higher taxes

Published 4:58 pm Monday, December 22, 2025

Pendleton city officials announced that replacement of condemned stairway on Southwest 13th Street was a top priority, submitting a grant request for funding through the Safe Pathways To Schools Program sponsored by the Oregon Department of Transportation as adequate city funding was unavailable. The request was denied perhaps because the plan was not compliant with the federal American with Disabilities Act, according to the program administrator.

In 2011 the city purchased 40 acres adjacent to Barnhart Road, affectionately known as the “road to nowhere” for $500,000. The current city’s mayor and the economic development director have approved a proposal giving that property to Round-up City Development Corp., an agency masquerading as economic power house for the city, to construct a youth athletic complex. This sounds like a great idea until you consider the city, the school district, Babe Ruth and Little League associations have already established a good foundation of facilities that could be improved for considerably less. For the complex to be completed, a bond would be needed and approved by the voters, meaning property tax hike.

A common excuse from city officials when asked about improving streets is there is no funding. I wonder why.

Rick Rohde

Pendleton

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Rec Sports

Orange Bowl Committee and AutoNation Unveil New $600,000 STEAM Center in Miami Gardens

Published

3 hours ago

December 23, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Today, the Orange Bowl Committee, in partnership with Miami-Dade County, the City of Miami Gardens, and AutoNation, officially opened the doors to the new Orange Bowl STEAM Center presented by AutoNation at Bunche Park West Recreation.

The $600,000 legacy project provides local students with a state-of-the-art environment designed to foster innovation, creativity, and technical skill-building. The center features a dedicated workspace equipped with robotics, engineering kits, and maker materials, alongside a high-tech Multimedia Room. This digital hub offers green-screen capabilities, audio-visual tools, and editing stations, allowing students to master digital storytelling and graphic design.

“This center represents a major investment in the future of our youth,” said Henri Crockett, President & Chair of the Orange Bowl Committee. “By providing these resources, we are ensuring that the next generation of leaders in Miami Gardens has the tools they need to excel in a rapidly evolving digital world.”

The unveiling featured remarks from several community leaders, including Miami-Dade County Commissioner Oliver Gilbert, Miami Gardens Mayor Rodney Harris, and representatives from AutoNation and School Specialty.

A Legacy of Community Impact

The STEAM Center is a cornerstone of the Orange Bowl Cares initiative, specifically falling under its Legacy Programs pillar. These investments are made possible through the Orange Bowl Committee’s leadership of the both the Capital One Orange Bowl and the 2026 Miami Host Committee, which is preparing to host the 2026 College Football Playoff National Championship at Hard Rock Stadium.

For over 90 years, the Orange Bowl has served as a primary civic engine for South Florida, using premier sporting events to fund year-round community engagement, education, and youth sports programs.

Key Features of the New Facility:

STEAM Lab: Hands-on learning with robotics, 3D modeling, and engineering kits.
Multimedia Room: A professional-grade digital production suite for video and graphic creation.
Collaborative Spaces: Intentionally designed areas to encourage group problem-solving and creative thinking.

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Lambda Legal 2025 Recap: 8 Key Moments

Published

3 hours ago

December 23, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Before ringing in another new year, we at Lambda Legal want to take a moment to spotlight some of our achievements and milestones from 2025.

We are proud of all that Lambda Legal has accomplished these last 12 months, and we’re carrying this momentum into 2026 as we continue our fight for full equality for LGBTQ+ people and everyone living with HIV.

Find our year-in-review list below, presented in chronological order. It’s worth noting that what’s mentioned here represents just a tiny, tiny snapshot of an incredibly busy 2025. One roundup post — or even four! — couldn’t possibly capture the scope of this year’s work.

Launch of Our Four-Point Plan of Action and Trump Tracker Resource

This year began with Lambda Legal’s team prepared to defend our communities with courage and conviction. The elections of 2024 brought disappointing results, but our legal team had devoted months to prepare for the worst of possible outcomes and contingency plans were in place as we began 2025. Our four-point plan to navigate the challenges we anticipated following the change in administration guided our work – and yielded results.

Since January of 2025, Lambda Legal has filed six major cases challenging unlawful and discriminatory actions by the Trump administration — including executive orders targeting transgender people, gender-affirming care, accurate identity documents, funding for LGBTQ+ community centers, and service in the military for trans people. Check out the latest breaking news on these cases using our Trump Tracker resource: www.LambdaLegal.org/TrumpTracker

Lambda Legal sued the Trump administration to stop executive actions that would erase trans people, defund LGBTQ+ programs, and ban DEI principles in federal grants. In the summer, a judge ruled in our favor, granting us a preliminary injunction that restored $6.2 million dollars in federal funding to these organizations.

Returning to the Supreme Court to Defend Trans Youth in Sports

Early in 2026, Lambda Legal will return to the U.S. Supreme Court to defend the right of transgender students to participate fully and fairly in school athletics. We represent Becky Pepper-Jackson, a teenage track athlete challenging West Virginia’s cruel and unconstitutional ban on trans students in sports. Lambda Legal has represented Becky since 2021, and we could not be more proud to fight for her and all trans youth who just want a chance to play and be part of a team.

Oral arguments in B.P.J. v. West Virginia are scheduled for January 13, 2026 — a pivotal moment for transgender rights nationwide. Join us at our rally in Washington, D.C., that day, or find a rally in a city near you!

Becky Pepper-Jackson ahead of our Supreme Court oral arguments on January 13, 2026

The Help Desk Receives Record-Breaking Number of Requests

Every call, email, and message to Lambda Legal’s Help Desk begins with a story from a member of our community. In 2025, the need for the Help Desk has grown exponentially.

By mid-December, the Help Desk has handled more than 7,154 requests for assistance – over 70% of the number we received in all of 2024, and on track to be the highest number we have received ever.

Our Help Desk is averaging 622 new requests per month — the equivalent of 21 new people every single day reaching out for support, information, and hope.

Unstoppable Future Fundraising Campaign Makes History

Lambda Legal wrapped its Unstoppable Future campaign in June with a staggering $285 million raised. This has allowed us to grow our staff and capacity to serve our community.

Building Our Team: Strength in Numbers

To meet growing demand and sustain our litigation momentum, Lambda Legal has strengthened its legal team with at least 10 new attorneys and legal professionals this year. Each brings unique expertise, lived experience, and deep passion for justice.

queer and trans people hold up signs at freedom to be ourselves really outside of the supreme court during skrmetti oral arguments — “Freedom to Be Ourselves” rally outside of the U.S. Supreme Court during U.S. v. Skrmetti oral arguments, photo by Rah Studios

This infusion of talent expands Lambda Legal’s reach and capacity at a pivotal moment. Together, this growing team is prepared to take on the next wave of challenges – and the next wave of victories.

The Publishing of Vital, Expert Reports

As 2025 draws to a close, two new Lambda Legal publications highlight the twin pillars of our work – reshaping systems and protecting people where the law meets lived experience.

In Judging Our Future: What’s at Stake for LGBTQ+ and HIV Rights in the Federal Courts, Lambda Legal reveals that while there was great progress during the Biden administration, the federal judiciary remains far from reflecting the diversity of the nation it serves. The report also addresses what we can expect from new federal judges during Trumps’s second term.

Our second major publication, Advocating for Transgender, Nonbinary, and Gender-Diverse Youth in Foster Care, equips attorneys and advocates with strategies to support one of the most vulnerable populations in the child welfare system.

The Launch of the All Rise Campaign

Lambda Legal has what it takes to protect the rights of LGBTQ+ people and everyone living with HIV: a 52-year track record of landmark victories, bold strategies, and the unwavering support of leaders like you. But this year, our opponents are better funded, more coordinated, and moving faster than ever. They are outspending us in courts and legislatures across the country — and we cannot let them win.

That’s where our new All Rise campaign comes in. Through December 31, all gifts will be DOUBLED through the $250,000 All Rise Match. This is our moment to stand together, fight harder, and rise higher in pursuit of full legal and lived equality. Make a gift today by visiting our donate page.

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PARTICIPATING TEAMS ANNOUNCED FOR THE ECNL INTERNATIONAL TOURNAMENT, POWERED BY COACHES’ VOICE AND IN ASSOCIATION WITH EVERTON INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY

Published

3 hours ago

December 23, 2025

Your Sports Nation

RICHMOND, Va. (December 22, 2025) – The ECNL International Tournament, powered by Coaches’ Voice and in association with Everton International Academy, is excited to announce the eight U13 boys teams and eight U16 girls teams that will compete in the event in May 2026 at Everton’s legendary Finch Farm facility.

An exceptional and unique lineup of teams from England, Scotland, Wales and the United States will come together in a ground-breaking new youth competition to challenge some of the best players and teams from each country. The teams competing are listed below:

U13 Boys Division

US: Eastside FC (WA), NCFC (NC), Oklahoma Energy, XF Academy (WA)

UK: Chelsea FC, Everton, Leeds United, Wrexham AFC

U16 Girls Division

US: Bay Area Surf (CA), Legends SC (CA), Michigan Hawks, Solar SC (TX)

UK: Chelsea FC, Everton, Rangers FC, Welsh National Team

In January, teams will be placed in groups to determine their initial tournament opponents, with each group featuring two teams from the United States and two teams from the United Kingdom. The event will include both group and knock-out play over two days, with the full schedule announced at a later date.

The ECNL International Tournament, powered by Coaches’ Voice and in association with Everton International Academy marks the first time that teams from ECNL Boys and ECNL Girls have qualified for international competition based on their performances in the ECNL. The event reflects a joint commitment from all three organizations to developing and challenging top players while creating meaningful sporting connections and relationships across countries.

The ECNL International Tournament will be led by the elite operations team at Coaches’ Voice Tours, whose reputation for excellence in international soccer travel ensures the highest standards and world-class quality. In addition, the ECNL has subsidized the cost of the event for the United States teams to help make the dream of international competition a reality.

For more information regarding the ECNL International Tournament, powered by Coaches’ Voice and in association with Everton International Academy, click here.

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About Everton International Academy:

The Everton International Academy is the global development arm of Everton Football Club, designed to bring the Club’s renowned coaching philosophy – known as the Everton Way to aspiring footballers around the world.

Through the Everton International Academy Affiliate Programme, the Academy partners with clubs and organisations across multiple continents to deliver world-class coaching, mentoring, and player development support.

Everton Soccer Schools operate across the globe, predominately across the USA, Canada, and the UK – offering players aged 5–18 the chance to train under official Everton coaching methods, focusing on skill development, teamwork, and confidence. To find out more, visit evertonfc.com/international.

About Coaches’ Voice:

Coaches’ Voice connects players, coaches, and clubs with world-class continuous learning and experiences. Through elite tournaments, player and coach education tours, online learning, specialist courses, and session planning tools, Coaches’ Voice ensures that coaches are fully equipped to create the best possible environment for player development.

For more information, please visit https://learning.coachesvoice.com/.

About the ECNL:

The ECNL is the nation’s leading youth soccer development platform for America’s top soccer players. The ECNL mission to provide the best youth sports experience in the world drives constant innovations in competitions and experiences for players, parents, families, coaches, referees, and partners. The ECNL has questioned convention and challenged the status quo of youth sport since 2009, pushing boundaries and striving for unmatched excellence. Together with its clubs and club leaders, the ECNL creates unforgettable memories and supports the development of youth players into college stars, professionals, world champions, and leaders.

www.TheECNL.com

ECNL FB: @TheECNL | ECNL IG: @TheECNL | ECNL X: @TheECNL

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